Weight Loss Is Not the Answer: A Well‐being Solution to the “Obesity Problem”

Abstract

Americans have been gaining weight in recent decades, prompting widespread concern about the health implications of this change. Governments, health practitioners, and the general public all want to know: What is the best way to reduce the health risks associated with higher body weight? The dominant weightloss solution to this "obesity problem" encourages individuals to lose weight through behavior change. This solution rests on the assumptions that higher body weight causes health problems, that permanent weight loss is attainable, and that weight loss improves health. But comprehensive reviews of the scientific evidence find mixed, weak, and sometimes contradictory evidence for these premises. We suggest that a different solution to the "obesity problem" is needed -a solution that acknowledges both the multifaceted nature of health and the complex interaction between person and situation that characterizes the connection between weight and health. Thus, we use the lens of social psychological science to propose an alternative, well-being solution to the "obesity problem". This solution has the potential to improve health by encouraging eating and exercising for optimal health rather than weight loss, by developing interventions to reduce weight stigma and discrimination, and by helping higher body-weight people cope with the stress of stigma and discrimination.

Interpersonal pursuit of intrapersonal health goals: Social cognitive–motivational mechanisms by which social support promotes self‐regulatory success

“…Given the additive benefits of regular physical activity and healthy eating in tandem with additional health preventive behaviors such as maintaining an optimal weight, not smoking, and drinking alcohol in moderation (Loef & Walach, ), adopting a more holistic health‐based inter personal focus for support interventions could prove particularly effective. This synergistic approach would be in line with recently proposed well‐being‐based “solutions” (e.g., Logel, Stinson, & Brochu, ) and is supported by findings linking social support and interpersonal processes to both smoking cessation (Lüscher, Stadler, & Scholz, ; Ochsner et al, ; Scholz et al, ) and the reduction of alcohol consumption (Bacharach, Bamberger, & Biron, ; Steptoe, Wardle, Pollard, Canaan, & Davies, : Wang, Liu, Zhan, & Shi, ).…”

The strategic value of essentialism

“…While embracing genetic determinism is problematic, undervaluing the actual contributions of genetics and other external causes to behavior can likewise be dysfunctional (Logel, Stinson, & Brochu, ; Turkheimer, ). If one were to adopt the stance that behavior is (almost) entirely controllable, obesity or any other condition increasingly becomes a personal responsibility.…”

“…If one were to adopt the stance that behavior is (almost) entirely controllable, obesity or any other condition increasingly becomes a personal responsibility. Perceived control over obesity correlates with stigmatizing obese people (Sikorski et al, ) when, in fact, evidence for whether obesity is a controllable behavior is at best unclear (Logel et al, ). Paradoxically, for certain populations (women highly concerned with weight loss), receiving high numbers of messages of weight acceptance from friends and family correlated with weight maintenance or loss, whereas receiving fewer messages of acceptance correlated with gained weight (Logel et al, ).…”

Why is it so hard to change? The role of self‐integrity threat and affirmation in weight loss

“…Second, the present study measures novel outcomes that, according to a growing research literature, may explain why higher body weight tends to correlate with long-term health problems (Logel et al, 2015)exercise and eating. We know of no other study that has manipulated affirmation and examined effects on exercise (see Harris, 2011), even though exercise is among the most important behaviors for supporting long-term health (Warburton et al, 2006).…”